Backward Curriculum Reinforcement Learning

Current reinforcement learning algorithms train an agent using forward-generated trajectories, which provide little guidance so that the agent can explore as much as possible. While realizing the value of reinforcement learning results from sufficient exploration, this approach leads to a trade-off in losing sample efficiency, an essential factor impacting algorithm performance. Previous tasks use reward-shaping techniques and network structure modification to increase sample efficiency. However, these methods require many steps to implement. In this work, we propose novel backward curriculum reinforcement learning that begins training the agent using the backward trajectory of the episode instead of the original forward trajectory. This approach provides the agent with a strong reward signal, enabling more sample-efficient learning. Moreover, our method only requires a minor change in the algorithm of reversing the order of the trajectory before agent training, allowing a straightforward application to any state-of-the-art algorithm.Comment: Accepted to IEEE RO-MAN 202

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF OFFSHORE SOFTWARE OUTSOURCING IN VIETNAM: THE CASE OF FPT SOFTWARE

The aims of the paper are to describe the Vietnamese offshore software outsourcing industry and to investigate key success factors of the largest offshore software outsourcing company in Vietnam, FPT Software. Vietnam has taken ICT industry a strategic one for its economic development, and it has been showing high growth in that field. Especially, Vietnam has potential to be successful in offshore software outsourcing, but Vietnam won\u27t be sustainable in this competitive market unless it overcomes several weaknesses. FPT Software as the best achiever so far is a good model for Vietnamese software companies. The key success factors of sustainable development in FPT Software are found in good managerial practices, application of international quality standards for software development, and highly motivated and skilled workforces. Based on the case study, we discuss the sustainability of Vietnam\u27s offshore software outsourcing

Bottom-Up Growth of Graphene Nanospears and Nanoribbons

One dimensional graphene nanostructures are one of the most promising materials for next generation electronics. Here, the chemical vapor depostion growth of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) and graphene nanospears (GNSs) on a copper surface is reported. The growth of GNRs and GNSs is enabled by a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism guided by on-surface propagation of a liquid Cu-Si catalyst particle. The slow lateral growth and the fast VLS vertical growth give rise to spear head-shaped GNSs. In situ observations further confirm that the lateral graphene growth can be completely suppressed and thus GNRs are grown. The synthesized field effect transistor (FET) devices show that the GNRs and GNSs have high carrier mobilities of approximate to 2000 cm(2) V-1 s(-1). Both FET and Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements confirm that the Fermi levels of the synthesize GNSs shift downward from the wide part to the tip is strongly p-doped. These findings yield key insights into the growth mechanism of graphene and open a door for achieving a facile and scalable method of synthesizing free standing GNRs and GNSs and their applications, such as the Fermi-level tunable devices

Becoming a Fast Learner in Offshore Software Outsourcing: The Case of Vietnam's FPT Software

Owing to India's success, offshore software outsourcing attracts much attention from developing countries as a strategic industry for economic development. Vietnam wants to follow the Indian way of development in its software industry. FPT Software is one of the top performers among software companies in Vietnam. This paper aims to investigate the success factors of the largest offshore software outsourcing company in Vietnam. We argue the key success factor of FPT Software is its learning capabilities. Based on the theories of organizational learning, we propose one aspect of organizational learning processes, i.e., knowledge acquisition, as a key to explaining how FPT Software became a fast learner. While discussing the significance of this process in the company's organizational learning, we identify and discuss the roles played by actors in the case including the CEO, Japanese clients, Indian and Chinese competitors. In conclusion, we contend organizational learning is a key success factor of developing offshore software outsourcing businesses.Vietnam; offshore software outsourcing; FPT Software; organizational learning; acquisition

Evolution of Offshore Software Outsourcing in East Asian Countries: From Cost to Relation

This paper aims to show the evolution of offshore outsourcing from a different viewpoint. In particular, it will be focusing on the offshore outsourcing in East Asian countries, especially in China, Vietnam and Japan. In spite of relatively short period of offshoring experiences, East Asian countries, however, are undergoing the shift in formulating and implementing offshore software outsourcing strategies. Most researches concerning offshoring are based on ‘cost proposition’, focusing on cost as a driving force of the offshoring. Offshoring strategy being dubbed as ‘relation proposition’ appears in East Asian countries. Rather than pursuing short-term profits from cheap labor cost, some East Asian countries’ offshoring look for long-term and strategic relationship through continuing development and cooperation among them

Conversion of Methylglyoxal to Acetol by Escherichia coli Aldo-Keto Reductases

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a toxic metabolite known to accumulate in various cell types. We detected in vivo conversion of MG to acetol in MG-accumulating Escherichia coli cells by use of (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H-NMR) spectroscopy. A search for homologs of the mammalian aldo-keto reductases (AKRs), which are known to exhibit activity to MG, revealed nine open reading frames from the E. coli genome. Based on both sequence similarities and preliminary characterization with (1)H-NMR for crude extracts of the corresponding mutant strains, we chose five genes, yafB, yqhE, yeaE, yghZ, and yajO, for further study. Quantitative assessment of the metabolites produced in vitro from the crude extracts of these mutants and biochemical study with purified AKRs indicated that the yafB, yqhE, yeaE, and yghZ genes are involved in the conversion of MG to acetol in the presence of NADPH. When we assessed their in vivo catalytic activities by creating double mutants, all of these genes except for yqhE exhibited further sensitivities to MG in a glyoxalase-deficient strain. The results imply that the glutathione-independent detoxification of MG can occur through multiple pathways, consisting of yafB, yqhE, yeaE, and yghZ genes, leading to the generation of acetol